1 Kings 20:5
And David said to Jonathan: Behold tomorrow is the new moon, and I according to custom am wont to sit beside the king to eat: let me go then that I may be hid in the field till the evening of the third day.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Dixit autem David ad Jonathan : Ecce calendæ sunt crastino, et ego ex more sedere soleo juxta regem ad vescendum : dimitte ergo me ut abscondar in agro usque ad vesperam diei tertiæ.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν Δαυεὶδ πρὸς Ἰωναθάν Ἰδοὺ δὴ νεομηνία αὔριον, καὶ ἐγὼ καθίσας οὐ καθήσομαι φαγεῖν, καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖς με καὶ κρυβήσομαι ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἕως δείλης.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן הִֽנֵּה חֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ מָחָ֔ר וְאָנֹכִ֛י יָשֹׁב אֵשֵׁ֥ב עִם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֶאֱכ֑וֹל וְשִׁלַּחְתַּ֨נִי֙ וְנִסְתַּרְתִּ֣י בַשָּׂדֶ֔ה עַ֖ד הָעֶ֥רֶב הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁית
Haydock's commentary
To-morrow is the new moon. The neomenia, or first day of the moon, kept according to the law, as a festival; and therefore Saul feasted on that day; and expected the attendance of his family. (Challoner) (Numbers x. 10.)
Moon. Literally, "calends," a Greek word, intimating that the people were informed, or "called" together, on that occasion; as many nations follow the lunar system in the regulation of the year. (Haydock)
The Rabbins say that people were stationed on the highest hills to observe the first appearance of the moon, and to give notice of it. But for fear of a mistake, two days were observed, as here we see that Saul gave a feast for such a length of time. This, however, is very uncertain. David speaks without any reference to the watchmen, as of a thing well known to all. The reason of Saul's feasting two days, was because one of them was the sabbath. The following work-day David came to Nobe, (ver. 19,) and partook of the loaves which had been changed on the sabbath day, chap. xxi. 6., and Leviticus xxiv. 8.
Sit. The custom of sitting at table seems to have been more ancient than that of lying. The Persians chiefly introduced the latter. They had very low tables, so that one of them was placed under the feet of Alexander, when he sat upon the throne of Darius, which was too high for him. (Curtius v.) Both customs frequently prevailed at the same time, Ecclesiasticus ix. 12., and xxxi. 12. Women probably always sat, as the Chaldean says Esther did, Esther vii. 8. See Athen. i. 14. V. Max. ii. 1.
Day. The second of the month, after the sabbath was ended. (Calmet)
Read on
Pezron thinks that both the last and first days of the month were festivals. (Du Hamel)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Irenaeus Against Heresies: Book I, Chapter XVIII. Passages from Moses,
4. As to the Duodecad, in connection with which the mystery of the passion of the defect occurred, from which passion they maintain that all things visible were framed, they assert that is to be found strikingly and manifestly everywhere [in Scripture]. For they declare that the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom also sprung twelve tribes, the breastplate of the high priest, which bore twelve precious stones and twelve little bells, the twelve stones which were placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain, the same number which was placed by Joshua in the river, and again, on the other side, the bearers of the ark of the covenant, those stones which were set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering; the number, too, of the apostles; and, in fine, every event which embraces in it the number twelve , set forth their Duodecad. …